Ethiopia inaugurated Omo Kuraz III sugar factory this Sunday 14 October. Located in South Omo zone, SNNP regional state, it is one of the four sugar factories under the Omo-Kuraz sugar development project.
The sugar factory, which was built at a cost of over 8 billion birr (290 million USD) through a loan obtained from the China Development Bank and is expected to produce 8,000 to 10,000 quintal of sugar a day. It will serve as best development corridor for the region and create jobs for 12,000 people. It is the eighth operational sugar factory in the country.
Prime minister Abiy Ahmed, former Ethiopian Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegne, Muferiat Kamil (Speaker of the House of representative) and Eritrean President Isayas Afeworki were among the dignitaries present during the inauguration.
Hailemariam Desalgne is credited for initiating the project during his terms of office as president of South regional state and has also contributed a lot for the completion of the project.
The government is also undertaking an irrigation project over the river Omo to cultivate sugar cane on 100,000 hectares of land which will supply the factories with raw material.
Abiy said, “We need to invest more in exponentially exploiting the national potential related to products like sugar, rice, sesame, wheat and maize.”
President Isaias Afeworki of Eritrea who attended the inauguration ceremony as a guest of honour said,” This is an eye opener for us on what we can do and achieve.”
Isaias added that the fruitful completion of Omo Kuraz III sugar factory teaches everyone to unleash potential.
Stating that with rapid population growth rate in East Africa, Isaias stressed countries to focus on regional development spheres.
